But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” 1 Samuel 16:7. God specializes in seeing beyond appearances. He had given Samuel the important job of sorting through the sons of a man named Jesse to find the next king. God reassured Samuel that He would guide him to the right person. But after standing face-to-face with Jesse’s first son, Samuel became distracted by his looks. He needed a reminder, one we can all be encouraged by today.
Sometimes I’m tempted to look at myself or others with a critical eye. I assess worth based on what I see. This story in chapter 16 gives me hope. Because even someone like Samuel needed help from time to time. Our human tendencies are in contrast to God’s ways. Inviting the Holy Spirit to guide us will help us resist the temptation to point out the bad and instead focus on the good we often do not see. Then we will discover the beauty God sees, in all things.
As criticism in our world grows, are we pointing out the bad in ourselves and others? Or are we focusing on the heart? Unspeakable value may be hidden beneath the surface. Let’s invite the Holy Spirit to reveal the value God sees. God’s assessment is greater than we could ever imagine.
God sees our value when no one else does.
Regards, Evans Mose,
P.o Box 1109 – 00518, Nairobi Kenya